Block physics?

[Exscorbizorb]

Are there plans to add block physics to VS?  I'm not just talkin' 'bout blocks "falling sideways" like TFC had, but the need to support structures that are built horizontally (like ceilings and bridges).  There were several mods for MC that did it more or less well (mostly less), but I think the best execution was actually TFC2: Link.  As a player for whom building in survival mode has always been a favorite activity in both MC and TFC alike, I can't even express how much I would love to see this implemented.  It would be very fun and challenging to design buildings that can support themselves, and to have an actual reason to put in pillars and supports.  Furthermore, it would help ensure a more down-to-earth build style in multiplayer; sky bridges would definitely be a thing of the past! 

Does this appeal to anyone else?  I haven't been able to find any discussion of it here on the forum. 

[Stroam]

It's a planned feature for survival mode but survival mode isn't being worked on currently. Right now trying to fill out the base game and then an easier mode, then eventually survival. 

 

[Exscorbizorb]

Excellent.  Thank you.  It should probably be added to the Roadmap.  

[redram]

I definitely like the idea of nerfing sky bridges, but I'm not a fan of it restricting my otherwise legitimate builds.  I worry it would make building more tedious, for not really any reward.  Unless it's incorporate into game mechanics or something.

[tony Liberatto]

I like the idea and the concept. Yes, it will make building harder, but I believe it will be more a question of planning, not so much a limitation. As long as your building is realistic, you should have no issues. Lighter materials can extend a lot more than heavier materials, so wood is a more appropriate material for roofs than cobble, as it should be. 
I see this as a much more immersive way to play the game, without actually affecting survival in any way.
Your simple hut will still work the same way.

[Exscorbizorb]

It would affect gameplay in a couple of ways, but I don't thing it would make the actual building process tedious.  The first affect would be, as tony mentioned, that you would need to choose appropriate materials for structures.  That would in turn affect aesthetics, and gameplay progression a little bit.  Building out of dirt would be difficult, which would affect the early game a bit, since making a shelter would be somewhat more difficult (but not a lot).   Moving up to a large building would need sturdier materials for the walls, and light weight materials for the roof.  It would limit the use of dirt as a building material, because it can't support itself vertically.  In other words it would basically just make utterly ridiculous looking buildings less common, while simultaneously cutting out some of MC's more ridiculous mechanics.

A real world example, from my first VS map:  I have built a good size starting hut out of dirt, with dirt walls, a basement, and a floating roof made out of hay (all about 7x12, 9 blocks high).  It is basically a mini dirtcastle.  I built it that way because it was quick, cheap, and easy, but it wouldn't be possible with block physics because the roof would collapse, and the dirt side would tend to slope.  It wouldn't make dirt huts impossible, just limited, thus providing a little impetus to build a log cabin, with actual supports for a roof.  So it would make survival just a tiny bit more difficult, but for purposes of aesthetics and immersion.

[redram]

So the thing is, as far as immersion and aesthetics, those are personal.   If a person cares about them, simply don't use cheaty stuff.  Problem solved.  Especially in single player, that's not really an argument.  SMP can be argued for, but can also be governed by server rules.   

Now, to be clear, I also would like dirt (and gravel, and sand) to have gravity, and moreover slippage, just like TFC.   Because it's not just aesthetic, it does make the starter building that little bit more challenging, in a game challenge sense.  Those are the easiest materials to obtain.   What I don't want is stone and brick and log overhangs severely limited.   If I want to frame out my building in logs first, rather than having to build up brick or stone walls first, I don't think there's anything wrong with that.  Or if I want to build and extra-large building, I don't want to be limited by arbitrary rules about overhangs.  It won't add anything to the challenge of the game, unlike dirt/sand/gravel physics.  By the time you're using finished materials and making grand building plans, you're beyond keeping away the drifter hoards.  It will add nothing to vanilla gameplay, it'd make a better mod, or at least it needs to be a toggle.

[tony Liberatto]

I actually agree with redram. Even though I want the overhang limitations, I think a toggle would make everyone happy. I think it would make building more interesting. 
As for dirt, sand, and gravel, those should have gravity by default.

[Exscorbizorb]

A toggle certainly wouldn't hurt, of course.  Giving players options like that is generally a good thing (though it can potentially lead to a little confusion for players joining a server).  However, I do think it would add an authentic challenge in late game, a time in the game where there is often little left to do.  If a person wants to build without any sort of limitations, they can build in creative mode.  Having to work around limitations is the very thing that makes survival mode fun.  "An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.  An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered." -G.K. Chesterton

There is nothing arbitrary about having the world behave in a believable way.  Overhangs need not be extremely limited, and there are pretty simple ways to extend the reach, depending on the particular way it is implemented.  On that note, I don't see why starting a house with a log frame would be problematic.  I would expect logs to have a very long reach.  Having logs run underneath stone sounds like a great way to support an overhang beyond what the natural strength of stone would allow.

Sky bridges would still be game breaking in late game.

Also worthy of note is that cave-ins would occur naturally and fairly predictably while mining.

As far as aesthetics go, it seems like having a general guideline is something nearly any game maker would want to do.  The game is imitating a certain time period, a certain technological level, a certain ambiance, etc.  It seems to me that the devs do have a plan for aesthetics, since they built in pre-made clothing items, rather than allowing the player to insert their own textures.  I am very pleased with that, because let's be real, neither of us wants to see hideous skins like this:

Block physics would help a little along the same lines with limiting the ugliness of buildings.

As far as having it as a mod goes, I strongly disagree with that idea.  Changes of that sort can always be made with mods, but it would be better that the game have some direction built in that can be can modded out, rather than not have any direction and have to mod it in.  In other words, let VS be the standalone TFC it was meant to be.  The very reason for the existence of this game is to not have to mod in all the mechanics like TFC did.  With all do respect to the abilities of modders, it far from ideal to have to patch in changes to a game.

Edited for grammar and spelling.